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Tap Room
Rating Details »
Categories: Restaurants, Breweries, Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown311 Colorado St
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-6662
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
15 reviews for Tap Room
One of the best - and least well-known - happy hour spots downtown. I refused to go to this place for a long time, because I can't stand Six, and I really miss B-Side.
But after working with a client very nearby, I got introduced to this place. It is a really good spot for an after-work beer. Free pool, $2 good beers (Rio Blanco Pale Ale is my recommendation), and half-price appetizers.
The appetizers are actually prepared by the (gasp) Spaghetti Warehouse, but they're surprisingly solid, especially for the price. The appetizer sampler is a great deal, the chicken strips are awesome.
The bar staff is also really, really friendly, which is rare at downtown HH's. Paul is the bartender I saw the most often, he is a truly outstanding bartender, always remembers what everyone is drinking and never leaves you waiting at the bar, bucks in hand.
Two thumbs up for after-work happiness.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
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This place is waaay cool! They have big comfy sofas, big screen tv's. Free pool certain nights of the week. Oh and awesome happy hour specials. $2 drafts or better certain nights.
People thought this was:
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I got much love for the Tap Room. I used to canvass for an environmental group, and this was our Tuesday night hang out after long hard days in the hot sun. We've been hanging out there weekly ever since. So here's the breakdown...
TUESDAYS THRU THURSDAYS=
$2 microbrew pints + free darts and pool on Tuesdays (and other nights if you can sweet talk some sweet bartenders) + great music + cushy couches + 1/2 price appetizers til 9 (The pizza is freaking delicious) + the best bartenders in Austin, I swear, these people are saints
I don't see what more one could possibly ask for after a hard day of work. This spot is so laid back and homey, and we always meet cool people when we go.
People thought this was:
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Cheap, GOOD beer.
Cheap, GOOD appetizers.
STRONG drinks and COOL bartenders.
Laid back scene and free pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
What more could you ask for?
Six Tap Room is my new favorite bar in town! On Tuesdays and Thursday s they serve $2 beers all night long, 1/2 price appetizers until 9pm, and have free pool. It's a laid back, non-pretentious, and never super crowded on a week night. A great place to come with a group of friends.
I've always met cool people every time I've been and the bartenders are amazing! They play good music and pour heavy!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
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The doorman was awesome. He joked around and gave us the info about the area. Anyway, inside, there were cheap drinks, pool tables, and tv's. Other than that, food service ends early evening so don't go in at 9:30 looking for pie.
Crowd is older so don't expect it to look like the rest of 6th street. Pretty chill place to hang out if you're not looking for anything too crazy.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (2)
An awesome place, particuarly for happy hour during the week. $2 pints (and not just Bud and Bud Lite, but Live Oak, Real Ale, and others) and really cheap food. And free pool Tuesdays through Thursdays.
Oh, and the best, BEST bartenders in Austin. They're friendly, they pour you want you want (generously), and they know your name after you've been in twice.
The only downsides are that it is quite dark, so you're relegating yourself to a basement with pretty much no windows, which is a downside when it's really nice out. And, many times we've been there, they have, I think the "Fuel" sports network on TV. Watching snowboarding just doesn't do it for me. But last time they showed basketball.
Apparently, this use to be B-side. I did not know of B-side before hand so apparently, I'm not cool. But I have been to the Tap Room, Austin. Not Tap Room, San Marcos. I have written a review of The Tap Room, San Marcos, peruse through my reviews and you will find it if interested. But for now read on about what I though about The Tap Room, Austin.
Great location.
In the middle of the warehouse district but kind of a kept secret... even though there is a huge sign and a familiar reputation of its former life.
Good atmosphere.
I particularly enjoyed the back room with its sofa seating, billiard balling, and brick walls. It has a charming kind of basement pub feeling that is relaxing. The noise level is high but not to the point were you must scream at the person next to you.
Fine Service.
I personally had no interaction with the staff except the door guy who I suppose was nice enough because I don't really remember... but I don't really remember leaving the bar itself so that's not saying much!
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- Useful (3)
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Okay, for clarification....the now dubbed Tap Room is the same space formerly occupied by B-Side, which was previously part of the Bitter End Bistro & Brewery family. Bitter End AND B-side have, sadly, both passed on. Six Lounge is now where Bitter End was and Tap Room is now where B-Side was. Six owns everything. So, not to drudge up old SAT memories, but here we go:
Six Lounge is to Bitter End what Tap Room is to B-Side. (No wonder I didn't score well...)
Anyway, I agree with Edwyn...this place (meaning the Tap Room) is off the beaten path and in this case, that's a good thing. Near the end of the trail of people, but worth a stop.
They still offer some small food goodies, mostly appetizers, but not a great menu. While I genuinely enjoyed the spinach dip, I wasn't impressed with the selection.
The architecture of the semi-underground building makes you feel like you're in your friend's basement waiting for his parents to leave so the party can start. And the ambiance is just okay. Sort of dim, but sort of cool. BUT, the big chairs and booths are comfy and the bartenders are kind-hearted. Tap Room delivers brewery beer, wines and hard liquor.
Reserve part of the bar for private parties, or stop by with a group of friends before you hit Sixth (the place is never crowded).
Better than tepid, but not quite inspiring.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
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Seems to have exactly the same setup as when the B-side was here. I guess it takes up about half the space that the bitter end used to. it must have been a warehouse at some point because it has those cool 25 foot ceilings. The back room has a number of pool tables. It has been kinda slow/quiet the times that I've been in there. For some reason it seems lots of people walk in, kinda look around & then leave. I guess cuz it tends to be empty. I'd recommend staying and having a beer.
$2.00 draft beers all night on tuesdays thru thursday. They have about 15 different Texas beers on draft - Real Ale, Independence Ale, Shiner, and Live Oak. About the only good Texas beer that I didn't see was St. Arnolds. They also seem to have a good collection of bottled beer. They also have a full bar including a number of single malt whiskeys.
They have half price on almost all of their appeziters until 9PM (monday-friday). There are maybe 8 different items that you can munch on. I had the brasil, tomato, and sausage pizza which comes with big chunks of tomato. It is a large portion and it tastes pretty good. Their spinach/artichoke dip is good as well.
Good place to go if you want to get a cheap bite to eat before 9PM or want a cheap Texas beer Tuesday-Thursday.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
The Club part of Six upstairs looked like a complete zoo and we were looking for something more low key, so we stumbled into their downstairs area called the Tap Room. It was Friday night at about 10:30 and it was fairly dead in there, but not a problem. We sat at the bar and proceeded to order some of the strongest rum and diets I have had (short of the Loon and of course the ones I make for myself). We played darts in the back room...there are pool tables back there also. It never did get packed until right at the very end of the evening and even then only in the front bar area.
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- Useful (2)
Six Lounge is an enormous space - they claim "three levels of lounging." I am not much for a big scene, but my boyfriend and I did discover their basement nook that they refer to as the "Tap Room."
The Tap Room was formerly the location of the B-Side Lounge, which was owned by the Bitter End that (due to a kitchen fire over a year ago) is now out of business. Six Lounge now runs the Tap Room. Now that we've got that confusion cleared up...
The Tap Room can be accessed off Colorado (between 3rd and 4th). It's literally a basement lounge, so the door may be a bit hard to find. Once you find it, though, especially on a Tuesday night - the $2 pints are a deal - mostly Live Oak and Real Ale. Usually quiet, too, on Tuesday nights, which is especially nice if you are not a scene person like myself.
If you're a bit hungry, I highly suggest the chicken strips and the quesadillas - some of the tastiest bar food I've ever had, and extremely filling. Free pool on Tuesday nights, too.
So, what's my point? Tuesday nights at the Tap Room.
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This place has undergone a wide range of name changes and such, but it almost always morphs back in to the same place it was before since the same folks continue showing up to drink there. The Tap Room is far enough off the beaten path that the same folks show up - those who know where it is and like it for what it is. So, what is The Tap Room? It's a slightly underground bar with big chairs and lots of smallish seating areas that provide a little privacy for your group without seperating you from the bar/lounge around you. Other than that, it's not all together unique compared to some other Austin spots, but many people like it because it's THEIR Austin spot.
(When that atrocious western movie where Collin Farrell poorly disguised his Irish accent to take on the role of Jesse James, I ran in to the movie's director and Scott Caan at the Tap Room / B-Side. Caan had recently appeared in two of my favorite movies ((Varsity Blues, Enemy of the State)) so I bought him a round and then he and the director handled the rest of the tequila-laced bill. This story is only worth noting as it was my first time ever seeing a quasi-celebrity in Austin and drinking with them.)
$ 2.00 draft beers all night on mondays, tuesdays and wednesdays. Also, they have half-priced appetizers till 9 p.m. It never gets to crowded so that means you dont have to scream to be heard.
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Brewery and bar food for those late nights on the town. Try the chicken and tuna burger. The beer sampler is also a great deal. This location is off of the foot traffic on the popular 4th street warehouse district - so its a great backup when the restraunts on the other end of Colorado and 4th are busy.
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I really really like Taproom, but a lot of that has me missing the old days of B-side. Not much has changed except they enlarged the space to include some pool tables and closed off the area that people had previously used as an ad-hoc hash bar. Now that area that used to be a 60's tapestry couch, old school lights, and an air filter, is now an office. They also have an upstairs area that is not really my favorite place. Its a lounge in every sense of the word and the bartenders are always great. I've had some of the best times out in this bar and will always have fond memories of it. This weekend we showed up and knowing the bartender were able to get into a private hip hop party. I think it was someones birthday but we booty shaked our way into Saturday with them anyway. Its great most any night of the week but if you are looking for a crowd its mostly on the weekends and pint night.
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